South Alabama sends a message in Sun Belt finale

December 08, 2013|Reuters

The Sports Xchange

NCAAF Team Report - Western Kentucky - INSIDE SLANT

South Alabama finished the regular season on a high note, while Louisiana-Lafayette finished with a dud.

The Jaguars steamrolled the Ragin' Cajuns 30-8 to improve to 6-6. ULL missed a chance to clinch the Sun Belt title outright and were without starting quarterback Terrance Broadway because of an arm injury.

The Jaguars became bowl-eligible in the first season that the program could become bowl eligible. Seven of eight Sun Belt teams became bowl eligible this year, with the exception being Georgia State. Louisiana-Lafayette is going to the New Orleans Bowl and Arkansas State is going to the GoDaddy Bowl.

"Our guys had a look in their eyes, they wanted to get to a bowl. That was one of our goals this season," South Alabama head coach Joey Jones said. "It was the mindset ever since we were 3-6."

South Alabama sent 28 seniors -- most who have been with the program since its inception -- out with a win.

"This is the largest senior class we have had and a lot of them were here when we started the program. It's going to be a little extra-special with those guys," Jones said. "I'll miss them, I love all of those guys. They have done a lot to start our program. They care about our program, they understand what being a Jaguar is all about and they have done things the right way. They have great academics and great character.

"The foundation that they've built is going to last for a long time because of the way they have acted and how much they care about South Alabama."

ARKANSAS STATE (7-5, 5-2 Sun Belt)

Game: Arkansas State was off, but backed into a share of the Sun Belt title as a result of UL-Lafayette's loss.

Takeaway: ULL was without QB Terrance Broadway and missed a chance to clinch the Sun Belt title all outright

Next: vs. Tulane in the New Orleans Bowl, Dec. 21

LOUISIANA-MONROE (6-6, 4-3 Sun Belt)

Game: ULM was off

Next: TBA

SOUTH ALABAMA (6-6, 4-3 Sun Belt)

Game: South Alabama 30, Louisiana-Lafayette 8. Kendall Houston ran for two touchdowns and Aleem Sunanon kicked three field goals for the Jaguars.

Takeaway: South Alabama finished the season on a high note, winning three straight, and should be a force in the Sun Belt next year.

Next: TBA

TEXAS STATE (6-6, 2-5 Sun Belt)

Game: Texas State was off

Next: TBA

TROY (6-6, 4-3 Sun Belt)

Game: Troy was off

Next: TBA

WESTERN KENTUCKY (8-4, 4-3 Sun Belt)

Game: Western Kentucky was off

Next: TBA

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NCAAF Team Report - Western Kentucky - NOTES, QUOTES

--ULL struggled with giving up field position to South Alabama and had a fake punt backfire. "It's pretty easy to move the ball when you get the ball at the 25 on the plus end every time you get the ball," said ULL head coach Mark Hudspeth. "The fake punt didn't work (for us) and we had a fumble and then an interception. When you give a team like South Alabama great field position, it's not hard to move the ball."

--South Alabama responded after losing big at ULL last year. "For me, it was like a revenge thing," South Alabama's Alex Page said. "Last year we got embarrassed by them, and this year, they were just as good as last year. They won the conference (regular season title) this year. To knock them off shows how good we really are. Earlier in the year, with a couple of wins, we would be in their position. It means a lot to knock them off."

--The Jaguars' three-game winning streak to close out the regular season is their longest since claiming the first 19 contests in program history.

--ULL head coach Mark Hudspeth wanted to stave off negativity after the Ragin' Cajuns lost their last two games. "We won a conference title in just our third year together and we are going to our third straight bowl. The negative people can get off the train and the positive ones can join me in New Orleans because we're going back to a bowl," Hudspeth said.

--ULL punter Daniel Cadona set career highs for punts (eight), yards (384) and average (48.0), having three punts downed inside the 20 with four kicks of 50 yards or better.